Twas the night before Thanksgiving, at Mimi and Papa’s lair,

Not a parent was stirring—because frankly, they weren’t allowed there.

The stockings weren’t hung, but the freezer was stacked,

With popsicles in colors that science forgot to track.

Jack and James nestled, not snug in their beds,

But bouncing off couches, with sugar in their heads.

And Mimi in her slippers, Papa with his cap,

Had just settled in for a no-rules nightcap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

It was Jack with a drumstick, declaring, “Bedtimes don’t matter!”

Away to the kitchen they flew like a flash,

Tore open the pantry and made midnight snack mash.

The moon on the gravy, the glow of the pie,

Gave the luster of freedom to each kid’s wild eye.

When what to their wondering parents should appear,

But two spoiled children with no bedtime to fear.

With Mimi the spoiler, so lively and quick,

And Papa the enabler with popsicle tricks.

More rapid than Wi-Fi their chaos it came,

And they whistled, and shouted, and called snacks by name:

“Now Oreos! Now Doritos! Now ice cream and cake!

On gummies! On sodas! On cookies to bake!

To the top of the fridge! To the couch waterfall!

Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!”

And then in a twinkling, the parents did see,

The downfall of rules in this grandparent spree.

As Jack licked a popsicle, James wore a crown,

Of mashed potatoes dripping straight down.

Mimi’s eyes twinkled, Papa’s grin was so merry,

Their spoiling was legendary, their snack stash extraordinary.

No rules, no curfews, no “brush your teeth” fight,

At Mimi and Papa’s, chaos reigns every night.

So parents beware, when you drop off your crew,

They’ll return sugar-fueled, with bedtime askew.

But Jack and James shouted, as they flew out of sight—

“Happy Thanksgiving to all, and to all a wild night!”

🍁🥧🍗🦃